[FOM] Foundational Status of a proof of the Cayley-Hamilton theorem

[joeshipman at aol.com]

The Cayley-Hamilton theorem states that any square matrix over a commutative ring R satisfies its characteristic polynomial.


For any specific n, this is an obviously finitary statement that can be proven, if true, simply by multiplying everything out and applying the standard algebraic manipulations. For example, in the 2x2 case, the symbolic determinant of A-xI, where A is
(a b)
(c d)
is (a-x)(d-x)-bc = x^2 - (a+d)x + ad - bc
and applying that to A gives
(aa+bc-aa-ad-ad-bc ab+bd-ab-bd)
(ac+cd-ac-cd bc+dd-ad-dd+ad-bc)
which is the zero matrix.


Thus, the theorem as stated is Pi^0_1 : it states that for any N, a certain (polynomial time) program P(N) has a certain output (the zero matrix). It's hardly even algebra, because it can be regarded as purely combinatorial.


But here's my favorite proof. Consider NxN matrices over the complex numbers. Those matrices A which have full rank and distinct eigenvalues have a basis of eigenvectors that gives a diagonalizer, an invertible NxN matrix D such that DA(D^-1) has the eigenvalues down the main diagonal and 0s elsewhere. Such an A clearly satisfies its characteristic polynomial. However, those A are dense in the N^2-dimensional space of matrices. Therefore the N^2 entries in the output P(N), which are polynomials in the N^2 variables corresponding to the matrix elements, are zero on a dense set of complex numbers, and any multivariate polynomial which is 0 on a dense set must be identically 0.


Question: in how weak a theory can "this proof" be carried out, and is the theorem provable in any theory weaker than that? In precisely what sense does this proof "require" more than a proof that doesn't pass through the complex numbers?



-- JS
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